


Malt Shop

by Laughingmyhorseoff



Category: Malt Shop
Genre: 1950s, Cheating, High School, Loneliness, Lost Love, Malt Shop - Freeform, Multi, Past, Pining, Prom, affair, based on script, howdy doody, third wheeling, this was originally a musical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 06:36:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11526600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laughingmyhorseoff/pseuds/Laughingmyhorseoff
Summary: So this was basically the first three weeks of my summer.Help me





	Malt Shop

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tofhoney](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tofhoney/gifts).



An electric feeling was running throughout the Malt Shop. Everyone was smiling, girls were giggling and boys were being boys. Rocco sat down in an empty chair. He was so happy to be with those he loved looked out the Malt Shop windows, staring at the night sky.  
***  
Sounds of clanging metal and faulty hardware radiated from the kitchen. Outside, Charlie, Winn, and Wendy had kept the fervent customers at bay. At last, a figure emerged from the kitchen with two milkshake glasses. The brims had slight overflow and were topped with whipped cream and a small cherry. In a matured voice, he raised both glasses and called “Two surprise concoctions!”  
Two girls called back and payed for them. After handing out a chocolate malted, Charlie made his way over to the concoctioneer. “Rocco, don’t look now but-”  
Chase and his friends entered. Though Rocco was tough with his tall build, including dirty blonde hair that was always greased back, he wasn’t the type to mess with Chase. Diverting his attention, he handed another customer a root beer and waited for them to pay.  
After that, Mimi waltzed over to Rocco and said gleefully, “Rocco, you should enter one of your concoctions in the dessert contest.”  
Wanda, from the other side of the counter, urged pleadingly, “You should!”  
Rocco waved both girls off. “Not my thing ladies.”  
“Besides, he wouldn’t win,” Chase jeered from across the room.  
Rocco whipped his head towards Chase and squinted his eyes, a challenging aura radiating from him. “And why is that, mister fancy quarterback?”  
“Because, I’m one of the judges- as captain of the football team.”  
“Maybe you are, but I should have been!” He turned away and went back to working on the counter.  
“Whatever,” Chase scoffed. “Besides, you got your band now.”  
Rocco rolled his eyes, ignoring Chase. Someone put a nickel in the jukebox and selected Hound Dog. It played lightly in the background as everyone continued on.  
Chase returned to his friends. “And, since, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, I’m planning to ask the winner to be my date to the dance.”  
Nanc shyly butted in, “The winner gets two free tickets to the dance.”  
Rocco laughed arrogantly, “I don’t need tickets to the dance.”  
Wendy turned around and looked at Rocco as if he had two heads. “Aren’t you gonna go?”  
“You gotta go to the dance, Rocco.” Wendy added.  
Winn put her hand on Rocco’s shoulder. “Everybody’s going.” Then the three made their exit.  
Rocco called after the ladies as they exited into the kitchen, “I don’t need a ticket. Rocco N the Rockets are playing at the dance!” He strummed an air guitar as the kitchen doors closed to a barricade.  
Other girls in the shop showered Rocco in praise, remarking in high pitched tones. “Oh Rocco, I love your band!”  
“You guys are fantastic!”  
Ronni, one of the many cheerleaders in Chase's clique, quickly halted the growing excitement. “The band hasn’t been chosen yet.”  
“The place hasn’t been chosen yet,” Bonni included.  
“Nothing has been chosen yet,” Conni filled in.  
“Except the winner of the dessert contest.” Vonni sneered. She smiled and Chase put his arm around her.  
When nobody could see, Rocco mocked Vonni, “Except the winner of the dessert contest. Dugh.”

Vonni, Conni, Bonni, Lonni, and Ronni had planned the entire dance while all of the boys listened slyly. Towards the end of their shifts, both Charlie and Rocco caught a glance at a brooding Cindy sitting at an empty table. They walked over and sat next to her. “You ok, Cindy?” Rocco began.  
She was playing with a sugar packet in her hands and she sighed, “I need an idea.”  
Charlie cocked his head, “For what?”  
Cindy dropped the sugar packet. “I really want to go to the dance.”  
Rocco shrugged. “So?”  
Cindy began to slouch in her seat, making her look even more dishevelled. “Dad won’t pay for the tickets. And I don’t have a date for the dance.”  
Charlie got down on one knee, but Buddy pushed him out of the way and took his seat, sitting across from Cindy. “Yeah. Go on, go on.”  
Managing to recover and stand back up, Charlie tried to speak to Cindy again. “Here’s a thought. You could enter the dessert contest and win two tickets. And then… Well, maybe you could go with-”  
“Chase!” Cindy jumped from her seat. “I could win two tickets and go to the dance with the captain of the football team!”  
Charlie’s face was drained of blood as he began to stutter uncontrollably, “A-actually, I was thinking, maybe you could-”  
“Have Rocco come up with a concoction!” Both Cindy and Rocco beamed in agreement. “Would you do that, Rocco? Could we win?”  
He fake scoffed, “How could you doubt me?” Cindy got up with Rocco and went to the kitchen, both giggling with excitement.  
“Oh Charlie! This is a fantastic idea! You’re the best!” Cindy called before disappearing behind the kitchen doors.  
Charlie grinned, but then sank glumly into a seat.  
Behind him, Moss’ short brown hair grew into view, then his entire head. Moss was standing over Charlie’s chair and looking down on the rejected teen. “Too bad, Charlie.”  
Subsequently, Buddy’s messy brown locks and sinewy build emerged in the corner of Charlie’s eye and began to look down upon Charlie as well. “Man, if you want to go to the dance with her, you need to ask her.”  
Charlie got up and looked down at the linoleum. He sighed heavily and began to talk to the two boys as he made his way to the door labelled “EMPLOYEES ONLY”. “I know. It’s just never the right time.”

Jailhouse Rock was playing in the shop as Rocco N the Rockets stood on chairs and pretended to play along until Cindy burst through the door, holding her face in her hands. The boys turned in her direction and Rocco hopped off of a chair and ran over to Cindy. In a panicked manner, he questioned urgently, “Cindy, what happened?”  
She groaned and mumbled in her hands, “Oh, Rocco, it was terrible!”  
Ethel, displeasured with Rocco N the Rockets postponing their performance, got up from “lunch break” and called across the room, “Tell us what happened.”  
“It was the contest!” Cindy wailed.  
“The dessert contest?” Rocco inquired.  
Cindy finally calmed down and straightened herself. “Yeah. I was in the line with my number, number eighteen, hidden so the judges couldn’t see which one I-”  
“You mean I,” Rocco interrupted.  
“Uh, yeah the one you made. They went down the table and tried everything and they got to mine and, oh, it was terrible. When they got to mine, Chase took one bite and doubled over and hit the floor!”  
“So he got sick, is that the end of the story?” Moss asked.  
Cindy stammered, “No! I don’t know! It was terrible, I was afraid. I ran. I was embarrassed. And I dropped my card.”  
Rocco’s hand flew to his head. He walked over to the counter and put both hands on the top of his head.  
Cindy, out of her dismay, called out to Rocco. “What am I going to do Rocco?! Everybody will think I poisoned the Captain of the Green Hills High School Football team!”  
Rocco lifted his hands and stretched. Then, seriously, he explained quickly, “And eventually, everyone will know it was me who poisoned the Captain of the Green Hills High School Football team.” He exited into the kitchen as a flurry of customers busted through the door.

Two hours had passed and Cindy was still sitting in her lonely table, bouncing her heel and putting her chin into her palms. Rocco, Moss, Buddy, Charlie, and the other waitresses had finally began to cool down after another day of handling the shop. Out of the dull haze, Wanda sprinted through the door. Everyone turned their attention to the panting figure. After a minute. She clapped her hand on Cindy’s shoulder and spoke, still out of breath. “Cindy, everybody’s looking for you!” Wanda pointed to a group approaching the shop.  
Winn ran through the open doorway. “You ran off!”  
Cindy returned to sulking. “I know. I didn’t know what to. What should I do?”  
Wendy also came in. “I’d celebrate!”  
Cindy groaned, “That’s terrible.”  
“I’d buy a dress. Do you have a nice dress?” Wanda asked.    
“To wear to a funeral?” Cindy murmured.  
Winn tilted her head. “What funeral?”  
“Chase’s funeral!” Cindy sobbed.  
Wendy sighed. “Try the dance.” Cindy turned to Wendy, looking at her with a dumbfounded expression. “Cindy, you won the tickets. You won the dessert contest.”  
“But I poisoned Chase.” Cindy sputtered.  
Chase walked through the door. “You didn’t poison me.”  
Rocco, drinking a milkshake from across the room, choked and spewed it across the counter.  
Cindy gasped lightly. “Chase…”  
“Your dessert was so delicious my knees gave out.”  
Rocco, whose face was still covered in his milkshake, coughed loudly, “Really?!”  
“Then my head hit the table and I was out cold.”  
“So?” Cindy asked pleadingly.  
“So, when I came to, I said we had to go on with the contest, even though all of the judges had already decided on the winner.”  
Rocco quietly whispered to himself, “Thank you very much.”  
“We all voted,” Chase continued. “Once the votes were tallied, we really knew who was the winner.”  
Wanda, finally managing to breathe normally again commented, “It was so exciting.”  
“I wish I'd been there,” Winn sighed.  
“Just to see you hit the floor,” Rocco snickered.  
Chase rolled his eyes. “When we announced the winner, Vonni burst into tears because she was the runner up and we all looked around because no one had the winning number. Then, I saw the card on the floor, almost as if someone left it to let me find.”  
Cindy began slowly, “And it was number eighteen.”  
“We thought she killed you off.” Charlie shrugged.  
Chase’s eyes gleamed. “I knew I had to find her. I had to find number eighteen.”  
“Well, here I am.” Cindy blushed.  
“You won me! And you won the tickets.” Chase got down on one knee, sinking to Cindy’s level.  
Rocco discreetly whispered to himself “Oh sweet Jesus.”  
“Cindy, will you be my date to the spring dance?” Chase asked, the tone in his voice flattered Cindy.  
Rocco threw his hands in the air, Charlie closed his eyes and turned away, and the surrounding cheerleaders let out an extended “Awww”.  
Cindy was taken aback. “Well, sure, yes! That would be,” She stared at Chase. He looked at her with soft eyes and Cindy couldn't resist. “Wonderful.”

 

It was closing hours for the Malt Shop. As Mr.Perella turned the lights out and closed the door, Lonni slowly rose from behind a table. Her, Conni, Donni, Ronni, Vonni, and Bonni had managed to stay hidden until the Malt Shop was completely dark. Lonni began in a shaky voice, looking around the shop, “He knows we're here.”  
Conni came out of hiding from behind the jukebox, whispering quickly, “He doesn't know we're here.”  
Bonni walked out of a closet, yawning and stretching her arms, “Probably not. He would have tossed us out.”  
Vonni emerged from the kitchen. “It's not going to take even five minutes. We just need to find a piece  
of paper.”  
Honni yawned and came out after Cindy. “Can I go to sleep now?”  
Ronni popped out of a cabinet. Everyone stared at her in awe. She fell down with a bang and knocked over some silverware, creating even more noise. After putting both hands on her back, she spoke with a pained groan. “Maybe in the trash.”  
Vonni shaked her head. “Not the trash. Recipes are never in the trash.”  
Conni whipped her head to Vonni, staring at her with an annoyed expression. “Recipe?”  
Vonni nodded. “Yeah.”  
Conni pointed to the jukebox and complained loudly, “You're telling me I crammed myself behind a jukebox for an hour, just so you could steal a r-” Bonni stopped her by putting her hand over Conni’s mouth.  
Donni, who had been stuck under a table, let out stressed whine. “What recipe?”  
Bonni removed her hand from Conni. “You want to make ice cream?”  
Vonni rolled her eyes. “Ugh. No, I do not want to make ice cream.” Vonni looked around the dark room, struggling to make out her friends in the shadows. “Spread out everybody, see what you can find. It's a recipe, or a recipe book. I don't know exactly.”  
Conni doubted Vonni’s leadership skills. “If you don't know, how are we supposed to know?”  
“Vonni, who just walked into a stool, said through the darkness, “I have to find the recipe she used to beat me and take my man.”  
After a minute of thinking, everyone but Vonni let out a slow chorus of “Oh…”  
Conni, still annoyed about the work she's been put through, griped in an annoyed manner, “So that's what this is about? The dessert contest?”  
“Far be it from me to mention the term sore loser,” Lonni began timidly. “But-”  
“I am not a sore loser!” Vonni snapped. She began to speak in a more quicker and panicked pitch. “Everybody knows I make the best desserts. Ever since Home Ec class in fifth grade.”  
Ronni shrugged. “Actually, Sally’s desserts-”  
“And he was my boyfriend and he's the captain of the football team!” Vonni interrupted obnoxiously.  
“Well,” Ronni started again. “Only because Rocco didn't play-”  
“And the captain of the football team must go to the dance with the captain of the cheerleading team.”  
Ronni became annoyed. “But I'm the captain of the cheerleading-”  
“No!” Vonni screamed. She began to sob, “I looked forward to this dance all year and now it's ruined! As head of the dance committee-”  
“But Conni’s the head of the dance committee!” Ronni shouted bitterly.  
Before the fight could continue, Bonni jumped up and down and called out to the rest of the cheerleaders, “Look at what I found! It says ‘Rocco’s Concoctions’!” She held a notebook full of messy pages in Rocco’s handwriting.  
Vonni snatched the paper out of Conni’s grasp. After studying it, she became enraged. She threw the book back to Conni, which knocked the air out of her.  
Bonni looked over Conni’s shoulder. She turned on a few of the kitchen lights so she could see the pages better. “It's all in Chinese.”  
Conni tilted her head and squinted at the pages. “That's not Chinese, it's shorthand. I can't read shorthand.”  
Ronni also clustered against Conni, taking the book into her hands. “I could give it a go.”  
Before she could continue, Chase came in from the back. Everyone screamed, causing Chase to scream as well.  
After the moment died out and everyone caught their breath again, Chase looked at all of the cheerleaders, asking confusedly, “Why are all of you here?”  
Ronni dropped the book and dramatically turned to Chase, sweating stressfully. She closed her eyes and blabbed quickly, “Because Vonni thinks her desserts are the best and she was mad that she lost the contest and that you decided to go with somebody else to the dance because you are captain of the football team and she's a cheerleader- not the captain, but a very important one- and you're her boyfriend and she loves you!”  
She gasped rapidly and tried to take in as much oxygen as she could.  
Aside from Ronni’s wheezing, Chase turned to Vonni. “Is that true?”  
Vonni turned away bashfully, “Mostly.”  
“Is that why you broke into the Malt Shop?”  
“Kind of.”  
Lonni I steered herself into the conversation, a little timid to speak. “Well, we didn't really break in. We kind of just stayed.”  
Chase smiled. “Vonni, can I tell you the truth?”  
Cindy slinked into the back of the Malt Shop, squinting her eyes through the dim light to observe the late night scene, even though every moment watching Chase pained her.  
“You're my girlfriend. And you deserve the truth.”  
His look at Vonni and he clasped his hands around hers. “I said I'd go with whoever made the best dessert because I thought you would make the best dessert.  
Vonni tightened her grip on Chase’s hand. “Really?”  
“You see, I wanted to go with you.” Chase released one hand and scratched his head. “But I didn't want to buy tickets because it's just a dumb dance and I didn't want to waste the money.”  
Vonni let go of Chase’s hands, placing hers on her hips. “Really?”  
“And then when you're dessert wasn't as good as Cindy’s, not even half as good,” He began to sweat a little.  
Vonni, now more annoyed, asked again. “Really?”  
Chase began to realize he was running out of rope. “Well, yeah, but then I thought, I, umm, I'd just go with Cindy and then once we were at the dance I could dance with whoever I wanted to dance with.”  
“Whoever?” Vonni was starting to get angry.  
Chase was doing what he could to save himself. “Yeah!... Yeah?”  
Vonni walked up to Chase, confronting the football player and placing her index finger on his blue letterman jacket. “Not your girlfriend?”  
Cindy turned on the lights. All of the exposed cheerleaders and Chase turned their head to the waiter in the corner. “Not your date?” She blinked away tears.  
“Cindy?!” Chase took a step back and tripped over Vonni.  
Vonni stared down at the fallen football player, “Guess what, Casa Nova, you can still dance with whoever you want.” She walked over to the front door, mere feet away from Cindy. “As long as ‘whoever’ isn't me.” Vonni took a quick glance at Cindy and walked through the exit.  
Conni passed Chase and followed Vonni. “‘Whoever’ isn't me either.”  
Bonni, Donni, Ronni, and Lonni followed suit. Honni, who had literally done nothing but sleep on a table, woke drowsily and ambled to the door. Right before she left, she shaped her hand like a phone and held it to her ear. “Call me.”  
Chase ignored it and looked back at Cindy. “Cindy, I'm sorry. Did you-”  
“I think you need to get out of here before the cops come.” Cindy used her anger to mask her pain.  
Chase looked at her forlornly, “We, we didn't steal anything.”  
“Just go.” She pointed to the door. Chase walked past her and the door shut with a light thud. Cindy trudged over to a table and bent over. She began to sob uncontrollably. She had everything a girl at her high school could dream of. She had the captain of the football team as her date to the dance. Or at least she thought. She was lied to by someone she had wanted to be close to for so long. Chase didn't actually care about Cindy, he just wanted to take advantage of her.  
Outside, as Chase began to leave, he nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Rocco leaning against a window of the Malt Shop. Chase said nothing and pretended Rocco wasn't there. Before Chase could pass him, Rocco put his hand on Chase’s shoulder as spun him around so the two could see each other clearly in the light radiating from a street lamp.  
Rocco glared at Chase threateningly. “You're such a jerk.” Chase flinched as Rocco took a step forward. “Cindy doesn't deserve a guy as rotten as you.” He pushed Chase away. “Same thing goes for Vonni.”  
Chase, in his flurry of emotion, scoffed, “I hope to see that fail of a performance you're gonna have.”  
Rocco snickered. “Now how would you do that without tickets?”  
Chase didn't say anything.  
“Thought so.” Rocco walked away and into the Malt Shop. Chase turned and headed back down the street.

The next day, Cindy was milling around the shop when Wendy caught her in her depressed stupor. “Hey Cindy. You doing ok?”  
“Yeah,” Cindy replied depressedly.  
“You can hang out with us at the dance.” Wendy shrugged a little.  
“None of us have dates either,” said Winn from behind the counter.  
Wanda stepped towards the girls and placed a hand on her chest proudly. “Speak for yourself. I have a date!”  
Wendy rolled her eyes. “Good for you.” She turned back to Cindy. “You can go with me and Winn.”  
Winn waved off Wanda. “We’ll have fun.”  
Cindy sighed heavily, “I'm just not going to go.”  
“But you have to go to the dance!” Moss pleaded, following Charlie out of the kitchen.  
Charlie turned around and looked Moss dead in the eye. “Let’s face it, Cindy’s going with Chase. I'm just not going.”

The next day, Rocco slowly walked through the doors, fixing the buttons on his vest. He walked over to the counter and said to Charlie, “We’re all set for tomorrow. Sorry you have to run the shop by yourself.”  
Charlie shrugged. “Not a problem. Dances aren't my thing.”  
Out of nowhere, Conni and Bonni ran through the Malt Shop doors, getting their pre-dance hype.  
“It's going to be the best dance ever!” Conni squealed excitedly.  
Bonni gestured with her hands, “Everyone is going to be there!”  
Cindy retrieved the corsage she had planned on using for the dance. It was white, delicate flower, supposedly very beautiful. She slowly plucked the petals from it, leaving the pieces scattered around the counter. “I'm glad I'm not going.”  
While the waitresses and Rocco went to comfort Cindy, the remaining cheerleaders had began to filter in.  
“The weather man says it's going to be partly cloudy.” Honni stated, staring at the dimming sky through the windows.  
Lonni walked up next to her, “It will be perfect as long as it doesn't rain.”  
Vonni rolled her eyes, staring at her own corsage. “It will be perfect as long as Chase doesn't come.”  
By (unfortunate) coincidence, Chase entered through the doors. Rocco, who had been behind the counter, walked around it and leaned against it, attempting to make himself look like an impassive figure. “Hello, Chase.”  
Chase rolled his eyes. “Hello, Rocco.” He turned to Vonni. “Hello, Vonni.”  
Vonni tried to ignore him. “Hello, Chase.”  
Chase looked at Cindy, who had began to wait tables. “Hello, Cindy.”  
She held up an annoyed hand. “Enough hellos.”  
Chase walked over to her bashfully. “I heard you weren't going to the dance.  
She was beginning to become impatient. “Yeah.”  
“Well, as long as you're not sitting home watching TV.” Chase looked at her blankly.  
Cindy began to stutter, failing to come up with an excuse. “I-I'm not. I'll, umm, I-I'll be-”  
“Working the Malt Shop with Charlie.” Charlie interrupted, hoping to save Cindy from her growing embarrassment.  
“Yes. Working the birthday party here with Charlie.” She turned to Charlie and silently mouthed thank you.  
Charlie was shocked. He didn't think Cindy would actually do that. “You will?! I mean of course, yes, yes.” He winked at Moss, who gave him a thumbs up.  
Chase stared at Cindy sheepishly, “So if you're not using you tickets…?”  
Cindy crossed her arms. “Really?”  
Vonni scoffed, “Really?”  
Rocco walked up next to Cindy. “Really?”  
Chase backed away shamefully. “Well, I was just asking.” He began to walk towards the door until Rocco stopped him.  
“Hey, Chase.” He began.  
Chase turned around. He looked at Rocco intriguingly. “Yes?”  
Rocco slowly walked closer. “As a member of the band I am permitted to bring a date. But, I didn't invite anyone because I'd be too busy to dance with them.”  
Chase took a step towards Rocco. “Right.”  
“Right. Oddly enough, it was my concoction that won the contest.” Rocco gestured to the crowd. They nodded in agreement. “So maybe it would be fitting, since I do have an extra ticket, that you would be my date to the dance.”  
Chase was taken aback. Guys don't go to dances with other guys, it's just weird! “Go with you?!” He was actually surprised that someone like Rocco would propose the idea.  
He shrugged lightly. “Hey now it is a free ticket.”  
Chase began to contemplate the thought. “Umm.”  
Rocco leaned over in Chase’s direction. “Beats watching Howdy Doody on a Friday night.”  
All Chase could manage to say was “Umm.”  
“I'll be too busy with the band.” Rocco let down his final offer. Now it was up to Chase to decide whether or not he would go.  
Chase tossed up how hands. “Ok, sure.”  
Rocco grinned roguishly. “Great, will color will your corsage be?”  
Everyone in the Malt Shop broke into laughter and Chase looked horrified. He glared at Rocco and shouted “Hey!”  
Rocco waved to the crowd to calm them down. “Refrigerate Daddy-O, I'm just kidding.”  
The two shook hands.  
Charlie looked over at Rocco. “Look at you, taking the captain of the football team to the dance.”  
Rocco gestured to Charlie. “Look at you.” He said sincerely.  
They both smiled. Rocco looked at Chase, and Charlie looked at Cindy.

It was raining. Of course, on the one night it wasn't supposed to, it was raining.  
Charlie and Cindy had been sitting alone together in the Malt Shop. It was a quiet night, probably because most of the high schoolers in town had been going to the dance.  
Charlie scooted closer towards Cindy on his stool. “Cindy, I need to tell you something. I… I-”  
Rocco burst through the doors completely drenched. His green blazer and black pants were completely drenched. “Hi!” He spoke frantically. “We were playing and then it started raining!” He looked out the door. There were a handful of drenched teens looking into the Malt Shop, they were almost begging for an entrance. “If it's okay with you, I’d like to bring the dance in here and out of the rain.”  
Cindy hesitated. “Umm, well, we-”  
“It's pouring! Conni said that the student government will pay for any food!” Rocco pleaded.  
Cindy looked at Charlie. Charlie looked back at Cindy and shrugged. “Ok.”  
“Thank you!” Rocco let out a relieved sigh and returned to the doors. He opened them and the growing crowd outside hurried in.  
“Hold on you guys!” Charlie shouted over the crowd. He turned to Cindy. “Cindy, I know you weren't planning on going to the dance but it looks like the dance is coming to you. So, umm, could I be your date to the dance.”  
Cindy giggled lightly and shook her head. “No.”  
The smile on Charlie’s face disappeared instantly.  
Cindy laughed again. “I'll be your date to the dance.”  
Charlie looked at Cindy. He was shocked that Cindy would actually be his date. He put his hand on Cindy’s shoulder. “Not like this. You need to change.”  
All Cindy could do was laugh yet again and look at Charlie. She put her hands on his and went back to change.  
As Vonni entered, Chase followed her from behind. He was wearing a blue tux and a sheepish face. “Vonni,” he called shyly.  
Vonni turned around and crossed her arms. “Yes?”  
“I'm so sorry. The truth is, I lost my job and I still owe my pop money for the car. I thought the tickets would have been a way for me to get to the dance.” Chase looked around at the disapproving faces that surrounded him. “But now I know it's wrong. And I'm sorry.”  
Cindy walked out of the Malt Shop, she was wearing a large pink dress that sparkles in the light. She was surprised to see Chase there. He even had a little crown on the top of his head and a sash that said “Dance Queen”.  
Chase turned and looked at Cindy. “Cindy, you're dessert was amazing.”  
Rocco slammed his hand on the counter, turning all of the attention to him. “My dessert, thank you very much.”  
Chase grinned and looked back at Cindy. “I'm sorry that I hurt you.” He looked at the sash in his hands and held it out to Vonni. “Vonni, as king of the dance, I ask you to be my queen.”  
Vonni blushed. “You're not the king of anything. You're a bozo, but I'd be happy to be your queen.” She smiled and accepted the sash, draping it around herself gracefully.  
Cindy faced Charlie. “Charlie, as queen of the Malt Shop, is like to ask you to be my king.”  
Charlie beamed. “King of the Malt Shop. I like how that sounds.”  
Rocco barged through the two couples, displaying himself to any onlookers. “I guess that makes me the Prime Minister!

Everyone had been having so much fun. People were dancing and smiling everywhere Rocco looked. He sat in an empty chair and looked out the Malt Shop windows. Bonni ambled over and sat next to him. She was exhausted from the party and placed a hand on Rocco’s shoulder. Considering Bonni’s drowsy condition, it slowly slid down his arm and hit the table. “You know,” she began slowly. “This is the only Prom you're gonna get.” She slowly stood up and held out her hand. “And I'd be an idiot to let you spend it alone.”  
Rocco took her hand and stood up. “Oh, so first I get the captain of the football team and a cheerleader? This can't get any better!” He took Bonni to the dance floor and in a quick flash they had owned the Malt Shop floor, showing off their moves to the dumbfounded crowd. The couples with them began to waltz along to music.  
When a slow dance began to play, a boy walked behind Bonni and tapped on her shoulder. Rocco couldn't hear their discussion, but he could take a hint when he saw her let go of him and leave with a new partner.  
Rocco sat back down in his seat and looked down at the counter of the table. He saw his reflection on the shiny surface and sighed. I wish… He thought to himself. I wish for somebody to love. He looked up. A shooting star crossed the sky and Rocco stared at it as its seconds of glory past. He knew it was a sign. Somebody had to have heard him. He knew that there was someone out there for him.  
He sighed and got up. He walked past Chase and Vonni and Charlie and Cindy. He looked at each of them and saw the love in their eyes. He yearned for that look, that simple relief, telling him somebody cared about him in a way nobody else could. He sighed again went to back to manning the counter.


End file.
